REJOICE! I SAY AGAIN REJOICE! (CC)

[WE HEAR ST. PAUL'S] LETTER TO THE PHILIPPIANS WHERE WE READ FROM CHAPTER 4, BEGINNING WITH VERSE 4: [8/03/14 SERMON TEXT] REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS. I WILL SAY IT AGAIN: REJOICE! LET YOUR GENTLENESS BE EVIDENT TO ALL. THE LORD IS NEAR. DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERY SITUATION, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD. AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS. FINALLY, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHATEVER IS TRUE, WHATEVER IS NOBLE, WHATEVER IS RIGHT, WHATEVER IS PURE, WHATEVER IS LOVELY, WHATEVER IS ADMIRABLE -- IF ANYTHING IS EXCELLENT OR PRAISEWORTHY -- THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS. WHATEVER YOU HAVE LEARNED OR RECEIVED OR HEARD FROM ME, OR SEEN IN ME -- PUT IT INTO PRACTICE. AND THE GOD OF PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU. I REJOICED GREATLY IN THE LORD THAT AT LAST YOU RENEWED YOUR CONCERN FOR ME. INDEED, YOU WERE CONCERNED, BUT YOU HAD NO OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW IT. I AM NOT SAYING THIS BECAUSE I AM IN NEED, FOR I HAVE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE IN NEED, AND I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO HAVE PLENTY. I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT IN ANY AND EVERY SITUATION, WHETHER WELL FED OR HUNGRY, WHETHER LIVING IN PLENTY OR IN WANT. I CAN DO ALL THIS THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH. THIS IS THE WORD OF OUR LORD. LET US PRAY: GLORIOUS AND GRACIOUS GOD, MAY THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF EACH OF OUR HEARTS BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT, OUR ONLY SOURCE OF HOPE AND COMFORT. AMEN. [TEXT TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA, INC.] DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST: THESE WORDS BEFORE US FROM PAUL THIS MORNING, SIMPLY ARE WORDS THAT ENCOURAGE US. WORDS THAT ARE MEANT TO INSPIRE US; TO LEAD US ON TO LIVING A LIFE OF FAITH. ESPECIALLY WHEN WE CONSIDER WHERE PAUL PENNED THESE WORDS FROM ... WE REMEMBER THAT HE WAS UNDER HOUSE ARREST, HAVING BEEN ARRESTED WAITING HIS TRIAL, WAITING TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO HIM. WOULD HE BE EXECUTED? WOULD HE BE LET FREE? WOULD HE BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE SPREADING THE GOSPEL AS GOD HAD CALLED HIM TO DO? WOULD HE BE FREED TO MOVE ABOUT THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD TO SHARE THAT IMPORTANT MESSAGE OF CHRIST? AND AS HE SITS IN THIS HOUSE ARREST, HE TELLS THE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH IN PHILIPPI, TO REJOICE! TO REJOICE IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE THAT THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN. IT COMES BACK TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO THE WORD PEACE. THE GOD OF PEACE. THE GOD OF PEACE IS GOING TO BE WITH YOU. THE GOD OF PEACE, THAT PEACE THAT SURPASSES ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING IS GOING TO COMFORT YOU. HE REMINDS THEM OF THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY CONTINUALLY HAVE TO REJOICE BY DOING THE THINGS THAT GOD HAS ALLOWED THEM TO DO. AND AT THE END OF THIS READING, HE REMINDS THEM WHAT MAKES THAT ALL POSSIBLE. IT IS THROUGH GOD THAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THESE THINGS. IT IS THROUGH GOD, THAT WE, CAN REJOICE. THAT WE CAN REJOICE IN OUR LIFE NO MATTER WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES. NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. WHETHER WE HAVE PLENTY OR WHETHER WE'RE IN WANT. WHETHER WE'RE WELL FED OR WHETHER WE'RE HUNGRY. WHETHER WE'RE IMPRISONED OR WHETHER WE'RE FREE. WHEREVER WE FIND OURSELVES IN OUR LIFE, YOU AND I CAN REJOICE! WE CAN REJOICE IN THE FACT THAT IT'S THE GOD OF PEACE HAS GIVEN US THE PEACE THAT GOES BEYOND OUR UNDERSTANDING. THAT PEACE THAT WE DO NOT FULLY GRASP ON THIS SIDE OF THE DOOR OF DEATH. BUT THAT PEACE THAT WE LONG TO BE FULFILLED. TO BE INVITED TO THAT WEDDING BANQUET IN HEAVEN. THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR US, INVITED US TO, AND PREPARED US IN THE WEDDING CLOTHES. WHERE HE HAS TAKEN OUR SIN-STAINED GARMENTS AND WASHED THEM IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. AND MADE THEM PURE AND WHITE. THAT CHRIST HAS ARRAYED US AS A BRIDE, BEAUTIFULLY PREPARED TO MEET HER HUSBAND. THAT IS WHO AND WHAT WE ARE. AND FOR THAT REASON WE REJOICE! WE ARE AT PEACE. WE ARE AT PEACE WITH GOD. WE HAVE BEEN SAVED. SALVATION IS OURS. AND WE REJOICE IN THAT FACT. BUT MAYBE WE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT SALVATION MEANS. THERE'S BIG TALK TODAY THAT THE CHURCH ISN'T RELEVANT. THAT THE CHURCH DOESN'T SPEAK TO THAT YOUNGER GENERATION. THEY SEE IT AS SOMETHING THAT IS FILLED WITH TRADITION, HAS NO IMPORTANCE IN THEIR LIFE, AND IT ISN'T RELEVANT FOR THEM. IS IT RELEVANT FOR YOU? DO YOU AS A CHILD OF GOD REALIZE WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR YOU? BECAUSE OUTSIDE OF GOD THERE IS NO PEACE. OUTSIDE OF GOD, WE HAVE NO PEACE OF MIND. OUR SINFUL NATURE IS CONSTANTLY BOMBARDING US TO DO EVIL. IT WANTS US TO LIVE IN GUILT. IT WANTS US TO LIVE TO SATISFY OURSELVES. IT WANTS US TO PUT US FIRST; WE ARE OF MOST IMPORTANCE AND WE DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYONE ELSE. WE DON'T CARE WHO WE TRAMPLE ON TO GET AHEAD IN LIFE; WE DON'T CARE WHO WE HURT IN RELATIONSHIPS, JUST SO LONG AS I GET WHAT I NEED. WE'RE AT WAR! WE'RE AT WAR WITH GOD OUTSIDE OF FAITH. WE DON'T WANT HIM IN OUR LIFE. WE DON'T UNDERSTAND HIM. WE DON'T KNOW HIM AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HE HAS DONE AND THAT HE IS A LOVING GOD. IT IS ONLY THROUGH FAITH THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN PEACE. A PEACE THAT COMFORTS US BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT CHRIST HAS ACCOMPLISHED EVERYTHING FOR US. HE HAS WON OUR SALVATION. AND HE HAS PRESENTED IT TO US AS A BEAUTIFUL INVITATION. AN INVITATION TO ALL OF THE BLESSINGS OF HEAVEN. ALL OF THE GLORY THAT GOD HAS PREPARED AND HE INVITES US TO COME TO HIM, TO TRUST IN HIM. AND TO BELIEVE IN HIM. AND WHEN WE DO THAT, WE ARE AT PEACE. AT PEACE KNOWING THAT ALL OF OUR SINS, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM, HAS BEEN FORGIVEN. WE LIVE AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD, HOLY AND SANCTIFIED BECAUSE OF CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS. WE LIVE AT PEACE WITH OUR MIND BECAUSE OUR MIND IS COMFORTED WITH THE PASSAGES THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN REMIND US IT IS GOD WHO HAS SAVED US. IT IS GOD WHO IS THE ONE WHO HAS LOVED US AND FORGIVEN US OUR SINS. AND WE ARE AT PEACE IN OUR LIVES. IS THAT RELEVANT? OF COURSE IT'S RELEVANT! BUT SO OFTEN YOU AND I ACT LIKE SOMEHOW WE ARE STILL PRISONERS. PRISONERS IN THIS LIFE. PRISONERS TO SIN THAT WE SOMEHOW CAN'T EVER BREAK IT ... BUT I'M GONNA TRY. NEXT WEEK I'M GONNA TRY TO STOP DOING THIS. INSTEAD OF LIVING IN GOD'S GRACE AND DOING WHAT HE WANTS. WE SOMETIMES ACT AS IF WE'RE PRISONERS IN OUR OWN MARRIAGES IN OUR OWN RELATIONSHIPS. AND ALL WE DO IS COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR SPOUSE. AND THEN WONDER WHY OUR HOMES AREN'T HAPPY. AND THERE ISN'T ANY TRUST THERE. WE SOMETIMES LIVE LIKE WE'RE ENDANGERED SERVANTS ... PRISONERS ... AT THE JOB THAT WE HOLD. OUR BOSS IS THE WORST TASKMASTER ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. HOW HORRIBLE IT IS TO BE ABLE TO GO THERE AND GET A PAYCHECK! AND WE COMPLAIN AND COMPLAIN AND COMPLAIN. HOW EASY IT IS FOR US, AS PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THIS WORLD, TO FORGET THE PEACE THAT IS OURS. AND TO FORGET TO REJOICE ... IN THE BLESSINGS THAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO US ... POURED OUT ON US. AND THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS: THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS. THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS THAT ARE RIGHT AND NOBLE AND GOOD AND PRAISEWORTHY. AND THEY'RE GONNA FILL YOUR LIFE. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEGATIVE AND YOU THNK ABOUT THE HURT AND YOU THINK ABOUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING THEY WILL CONSUME YOU AND THEY WILL ROB YOU OF THE JOY OF YOUR FAITH. AND THE JOY OF GOD. AND YOUR REJOICING WILL BECOME BITTER AND WHINY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO US TO KNOW HOW GOD HAS BLESSED US. AND TO REVIEW THOSE BLESSINGS TIME AND TIME AGAIN. AND HE GIVES US OPPORTUNITY TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO SHOW OUR FAITH. TO SHOW OUR REJOICING. PAUL SAYS BE CONTENT IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE. DON'T BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING. DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING! DON'T WORRY ABOUT A THING! DON'T LET FEAR CONSUME YOU ABOUT TOMORROW. OR TEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, OR 20 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. OR WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TODAY? OR HOW ARE MY CHILDREN GONNA TURN OUT? OR ARE MY GRANDCHILDREN GONNA BE ABLE TO GO TO COLLEGE? DON'T BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING! INSTEAD ... PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD WITH THANKSGIVING! THAT'S IMPORTANT ... THAT WE GO TO GOD ACKNOWLEDGING THAT HE IS THE ONE WHO BLESSES US. AND TO COME TO HIM WITH THANKSGIVING! NOT AS CHILDREN WHO ARE LOOKING AND DEMANDING A HANDOUT. IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS. GOD, I'M SO TIRED ABOUT PRAYING THIS TO YOU BECAUSE YOU DON'T HEAR ME. AND IF YOU DO HEAR ME, YOU'RE NOT ANSWERING ME THE WAY I WANT TO. THAT'S NOT PRAYING WITH THANKSGIVING. IT'S NOT RECOGNIZING WHO GOD IS ... AND WHAT HE HAS DONE. NOT SHOWING OUR FAITH AND OUR TRUST IN HIM. TO KNOW THAT WE CAN BE CONTENT; THAT WE CAN PLACE OUR LIFE IN HIS HANDS AND HE WILL TAKE CARE OF US. THAT HE WILL BLESS US, WITH WHAT WE NEED. WHETHER WE'RE IN WANT, OR WHETHER WE HAVE PLENTY. WHETHER WE'RE HUNGRY, OR WHETHER WE'RE WELL FED. GOD DOES NOT LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US. AND WHAT A REASON THAT WE HAVE TO REJOICE! WHAT A REASON THAT WE HAVE TO SHARE THAT JOY WITH OTHER PEOPLE. TO REMIND OUR SPOUSES HOW BLESSED WE ARE THAT GOD HAS PLACED THEM IN OUR LIVES. TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN THE LOVE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN. THE LOVE THAT WE SHARE WITH THEM. THE CONCERN THAT WE HAVE FOR THEM. THE IMPORTANCE ALSO OF INSTRUCTING THEM AND TEACHING THEM ABOUT GOD. BECAUSE NOT EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS MILK AND COOKIES AND RECESS. AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT. WE NEED TO PREPARE OUR CHILDREN FOR THAT. WE NEED TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR THAT. BUT TO REMIND US THAT WE DON'T GO THROUGH ANY OF THOSE THINGS ALONE. WE GO THROUGH THAT WITH A GOD WHO HAS GIVEN US HIS POWER AND HIS STRENGTH; HIS HOLY SPIRIT WHO LIVES IN US AND WORKS IN US AND ACCOMPLISHES THE WILL OF GOD. TO DO THOSE BLESSINGS. TO SHOW THE WORLD OUR FAITH. TO SHOW THE WORLD HOW RELEVANT IT IS THAT GOD IS IN OUR LIFE. TO DO THAT BY REJOICING! PROCLAIMING WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE'S DONE. INVITING OTHERS TO THAT GREAT BANQUET THAT GOD HAS PREPARED. TO TEACH THEM AND SHARE WITH THEM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT WAS TAUGHT TO US AND SHARED WITH US. IT IS A HIGH CALLING. FOR WE HAVE A GOD WHO HAS ACCOMPLISHED THIS STANDING AT OUR SIDE. THE GOD WHO HAS SAVED US. THE GOD IN WHOM WE PUT OUR TRUST. AND THEREFORE, WE REJOICE! AMEN. LET US RISE. NOW MAY THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH GOES BEYOND ALL OF OUR UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS AND ESPECIALLY YOUR LIVES IN THE ONE TRUE FAITH UNTO LIFE EVERLASTING. AMEN.